In an imporant announcmentu nion Minister Jitendra Singh has said that the training of four astronauts for the mission in Russia is set to be completed this month, as reported by Times of India.
Gaganyaan is India’s ambitious maiden manned space flight mission and Indian astronauts were sent to Russia for training which will be followed by the second phase of training of the four astronauts which will be module-specific. The second phase of the Astronauts’ training is scheduled to take place in India itself.
Due to the Covid pandemic, there have been delays in the mission. However, India plans to successfully execute its first manned space flight before or on the eve of the 75th anniversary of India’s independence.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s heaviest launch vehicle, ‘Bahubali’ GSLV Mark-III is all set to carry these astronauts to space. “Four astronauts are being trained for India’s first human space flight. Their one-year training in Russia is completing this month, with some delay on account of the COVID pandemic,” Union Minister Jitendra Singh was quoted by PTI as saying.
The Indian scientists are not taking any chances that may lead to the failure of the mission. So, before the actual manned flight, an unmanned mission is planned by end of 2021, which will then be followed by another flight that would carry the “Vyom Mitra”, the humanoid robot, to space.